Etihad Airways holds symposium for potential suppliers

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), today hosted a symposium for more than 500 representatives of local and global businesses, suppliers, commerce and government departments.

Arranged
by Etihad Airways’ Procurement and Supply Management department, the symposium aims to further strengthen
Etihad Airways' reputation and brand in the global procurement market, underscore
the importance of partnerships with suppliers, as well as highlight joint
procurement opportunities.

In his opening keynote address, James Rigney,
Chief Financial Officer of Etihad Airways, outlined the great potential and opportunities
for global companies to work with Etihad Airways and its equity partner
airlines around the world.

“Today Etihad Airways is a US$6 billion business supporting the growth of Abu Dhabi’s economy and its 2030
vision. However, if we are to sustain our present level of growth, we will need
a solid and ever-growing supplier base.

“We currently have around 2,000 suppliers and
the capacity to add many more as the Middle Eastern aviation industry and our
business continue on its current growth trajectory.”

According
to the latest study by leading UK think tank, Oxford Economics, Etihad Airways
and its partners continue to play a crucial role in supporting and driving
economic growth in the UAE.

The
Etihad Airways group contributed a total of US$15.6
billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP in 2013. This represents 12.8 per cent of the
non-oil GDP in the Emirate. The group supported 181,852 jobs in total, while
its rapid expansion is expected to help create more than a 100,000 jobs by
2018.

“As we work with our equity partners to achieve shared cost
efficiencies through joint procurement initiatives, we are open to discussions
on global agreements to leverage our combined purchasing power, geographical
coverage and continuing growth,” Mr Rigney added.

Adil Al Mulla, Vice President Procurement and
Supply Management of Etihad Airways, gave an overview of the airline’s
procurement policy and practices and their reliance on transparency, integrity,
accountability and strong governance. He also outlined the procurement and
supply chain opportunities in areas such as corporate services, fuel, airline and
inflight services, Etihad Airport Services and sustainability.

“Our suppliers have played a vital role in
helping us to meet our corporate goals. We are actively looking for mutually
beneficial partnerships and global agreements that will support our continued
growth.”

He also highlighted the airline’s adherence
to sustainable procurement principles, working with suppliers and partners to
seek environmentally and socially responsible products and services that meet its
commercial and operational needs.

In an active discussion with delegates, the Procurement
and Supply Management team covered a range of topics including: how to enhance the
partnership with Etihad Airways, how to become a supplier with Etihad Airways and
its equity partners, the partner selection process, quality and regulatory
requirements, current supplier concerns and geographic proximity.

Culminating the symposium, Etihad Airways
presented the “Partnership in Excellence” awards to partners who had performed
exceptionally in terms of providing reliable service, remarkable and innovative
products and supporting the airline’s operations.

Etihad Airways regularly releases tenders, and global
businesses can find out more about the airline’s procurement processes and
current opportunities by visiting https://etihad.tejari.com/.